Our Timelinesmalltree2025-08-11T21:09:35+00:00

Our Timeline

1981

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports first cases of rare pneumonia and highly unusual occurrence of rare skin cancer, Kaposi’s Sarcoma in young gay men, later determined to be AIDS. This marks the official beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

By the end of the year, 121 people are known to have died from the disease.

1982

Sunburst Projects found its roots in the first session of Camp Sunburst.

CDC uses the terms “AIDS” (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) for the first time.

A baby in California becomes ill in the first known case of AIDS from a blood transfusion. The following week, 22 cases of unexplained immunodeficiency and opportunistic infections in infants are reported.

Known deaths in the U.S. in 1982 are 466.

1983

CDC reports cases of AIDS in female sexual partners of males with AIDS.

Dr. Francoise Barre-Sinoussi and her colleagues at the Pasteur Institute in France report the discovery of a retrovirus they call “LAV” that could be the cause of AIDS.

The CDC warns blood banks of possible problem with the national blood supply.

Known deaths in the U.S. in 1983 are 1,511.

1984

Transmission modes of HIV are identified. San Francisco closes all bathhouses.

Known deaths in the U.S. in 1984 are 3,526

1985

FDA licenses the first commercial blood test, “ELISA,” to detect HIV. Blood banks begin screening the U.S. blood supply.

14-year-old Ryan White, a hemophiliac with AIDS, is barred from attending public school in Indiana. For the remaining four and a half years of his life he speaks out against AIDS-related discrimination.

Known deaths in the U.S. in 1985 are 6,996.

1986

U.S. Surgeon General Koop urges wide-spread use of condoms and calls for AIDS education for children of all ages.

President Reagan mentions the word AIDS publicly for the first time in response to a reporter’s question.

Known deaths in the U.S. in 1986 are 12,183.

1987

AZT becomes the first drug approved to specifically fight HIV. A one-year supply costs $10,000, making it the most expensive drug in history.

AIDS activist Cleve Jones creates the first panel of the AIDS Memorial Quilt.

The American Medical Association (AMA) rules that doctors are obligated to provide treatment for people with AIDS.

The U.S. bans all immigrants and travelers with HIV.

A study proves that HIV is not transmitted by casual contact.

Playwright and AIDS activist Larry Kramer founds ACT UP (The AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) in New York City.

The AIDS Memorial Quilt goes on display for the first time on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The display features 1,920 panels and draws half a million visitors.

Known deaths in the U.S. in 1987 are 16,488.

1988

Sunburst Projects holds the nation’s first therapeutically designed summer camp for HIV/AIDS children and their families.

Ryan White, an HIV-positive teenager who has become a national spokesperson for AIDS education, testifies before the President’s Commission on AIDS.

World AIDS Day is observed for the first time. The date is designated by WHO and supported by the UN.

1989

CDC reports that the number of reported AIDS cases in the United States has reached 100,000.

1990

Sunburst Projects becomes incorporated as a 501(c)3 organization.

Ryan White, the Indiana teen who became an international spokesperson against HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination, dies of AIDS-related illness at the age of 18.

The U.S. Congress enacts the Americans with Disabilities Act which prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities, including people living with HIV/AIDS.

1991

Sunburst Projects sponsors the first National Children with HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in Washington, D.C.

A large increase in the number of women and IV drug users contracting HIV is reported.

American basketball star “Magic” Johnson announces that he is HIV-positive.

Freddie Mercury, lead singer/songwriter of the rock band Queen, dies of AIDS at age 45.

It is estimated that 1,000,000 Americans are HIV+

The red ribbon campaign becomes and international symbol of AIDS awareness.

Known deaths in the U.S. in 1991 are 37,106.

1992

In this year, AIDS becomes the number one cause of death for U.S. men ages 25 to 44.

The FDA licenses a rapid HIV diagnostic test kit which gives results from a blood test in 10 minutes.

Known deaths in the U.S. in 1992 are 41,849

1993

CDC expands the case definition of AIDS declaring those with CD4 counts below 200 to have AIDS.

AIDS is the leading cause of death for young adults in 64 U.S. cities.

Known deaths in the U.S. in 1993 is 45,733.

1994

Sunburst Projects receives its first Ryan White Care funding for HIV/AIDS services for mental health, medical case management and childcare.

AIDS becomes the leading cause of death for all Americans ages 25-44.

FDA approves an oral HIV test, the first non-blood antibody test for HIV.

FDA approves AZT for preventing transmission of HIV from infected pregnant women to the babies.

Known deaths in the U.S. in 1994 is 50,657.

1995

FDA approves the first protease inhibitor. This ushers in a new era of high active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

AIDS is the leading cause of death for all Americans ages 25-44.

The first National HIV Testing Day is launched.

By October 31, 500,000 cases of AIDS have been reported in the U.S.

Known deaths in the U.S in 1995 is 51,414.

1996

In this year, the number of new AIDS cases diagnosed in the U.S. declines for the first time since the beginning of the epidemic.

There have been 6.4 million AIDS-related deaths worldwide, 3 million new infections alone.

Known deaths in the U.S. in 1996 is 38,074.

1997

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) becomes the new standard of HIV care.

FDA approves Combivir, a combination of two antiretroviral drugs in one tablet, which makes it easier for people living with HIV to take their medications.

CDC reports the first substantial decline in AIDS deaths in the U.S. Due largely to the use of HAART, AIDS-related deaths in the U.S. decline by 47% compared with the previous year.

As a greater number of people begin taking protease inhibitors, resistance to the drugs becomes more common, and emerges as an area of grave concern within the AIDS community.

Known deaths in the U.S. in 1997 is 21,846.

1998

CDC reports that African Americans account for 49% of U.S. AIDS-related deaths and mortality for Africans Americans is almost 10 times that of Whites. President Clinton declares AIDS to be a “severe and on-going health crisis” in African American and Hispanic communities.

Known deaths in the U.S. in 1998 is 19,005.

2000

Sunburst Projects opens an office in Sacramento, serving Sacramento, Placer and El Dorado Counties.

The Clinton Administration declares that HIV/AIDS is a threat to U.S. National Security.

Known deaths in the U.S. in 2000 is 17,139.

2001

Sunburst Projects launches a teen leadership program.

2002

FDA approves the first rapid HIV test kit that provides results with 99.6% accuracy in 20 minutes.

42 million people worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS with 70% in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Known deaths in U.S. in 2002 is 17,318

2003

CDC calculates that 27,000 of the estimated 40,000 new infections that occur each year in the U.S. result from transmission by individuals who do not know they are infected.

Known deaths in the U.S. in 2003 is 18,020.

2005

CDC calculates that more than one million Americans were living with HIV at the end of 2003, of whom 47% were African Americans. One in four HIV positive people do not know they are infected.

A highly resistant strain of HIV linked to rapid progression to AIDS is identified in New York City.

2006

CDC releases revised HIV testing recommendations for healthcare settings, recommending routine HIV screening for all adults aged 13-64 and yearly screening for those at high risk.

The first once-a-day pill for effectively treating HIV infection was approved for sale in the U.S. People with HIV previously had to take several pills every few hours.

Scientists announce they have spotted the signs of an HIV-like virus in chimpanzees in southern Cameroon, bolstering the theory that the first people to contract HIV did so through contact with infected blood from wild chimps in the jungle.

2007

CDC reports that more than 565,000 have died of AIDS in the U.S. since 1981.

CDC reports that four transplant recipients have contracted both HIV and hepatitis C from an organ donor. This leads to a call for more intensive testing of donor organs, which may have been infected too recently for HIV to be detected on standard tests.

2008

Sunburst Projects implements its first transitional services for youth over 18 living with HIV/AIDS.

A large international study finds evidence that people taking HIV treatment can now expect to live into their 60s and beyond. Researchers report that a 20-year-old person living with HIV who starts treatment with a CD4 cell count above 200 can expect to live to be 70.

September 27 marks the first observance of National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

2009

Newly elected President Barack Obama calls for the development of the first National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States.

The Obama Administration officially lifts HIV travel and immigration ban which takes effect in January, 2010 and this leads to the announcement that the International AIDS Conference will return to the United States for the first time in more than 20 years and will be held in Washington, DC in 2012.

2010

President Obama presents the first-ever National AIDS Strategy, a comprehensive and coordinated set of goals and measurable targets for HIV care and prevention.

The U.S. Government officially lifts the HIV travel and immigration ban.

NIH announces the results of a study showing that a daily dose of HIV drugs reduced the risk of HIV infection among HIV-negative men who have sex with men by 44%, supporting the concept of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in a targeted population.

2011

AIDS activist and award-winning actress Elizabeth Taylor dies. Taylor was the founding national chairman of the American Foundation for AIDS research (amfAR).

A new CDC study provides the first evidence that a daily dose of antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV infection can also prevent new infections in individuals exposed to HIV through heterosexual sex.

2012

The FDA approves the first at-home HIV test that will let users learn their HIV status right away.

The FDA approves the use of Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Adults who do not have HIV but who are at risk for infection can now use this medication to reduce their risk of getting the virus through sexual activity.

2013

An estimated 35 million people are living with HIV worldwide.

2014

Introduction of the 340B Pharmacy Program at Sunburst Projects. The pharmacy program allows for direct and confidential mailing of medication to clients’ homes, automatic refills and access to Sunburst Project’s professionally trained pharmacy manager.

UNAIDS launched the 90-90-90 targets which aim for 90% of people living with HIV to be diagnosed, 90% of those diagnosed to be accessing anti-retroviral treatment, and 90% of those accessing treatment to achieve viral suppression by 2020.

Major provisions of the Affordable Care Act go into effect. Insurers are now barred from discriminating against customers with pre-existing conditions, and they can no longer impose annual limits on coverage – both key advances for people living with HIV/AIDS.

2015

CDC announces that more than 90% of new HIV infections in the United States could be prevented by diagnosing people living with HIV and ensuring they receive prompt, ongoing care and treatment.

Researchers report that antiretroviral therapy is highly effective at preventing sexual transmission of HIV from a person living with HIV to an uninfected heterosexual partner, when the HIV-positive partner is virally suppressed. The finding comes from the decade-long HPTN 052 clinical trial.

Partly in response to the HIV outbreak in Indiana which is linked to injection drug use, Congress modifies restrictions that prevented states and localities from spending federal funds for needle exchange programs.

FDA announces it will lift its 30-year ban on all blood donations by men who have sex with men and institute a policy that allows them to donate blood if they have not had sexual contact with another man in the previous 12 months.

2016

CDC reports that only 1 in 5 sexually active high school students has been tested for HIV. An estimated 50% of young Americans who are living with HIV do not know they are infected.

2017

Organizations around the world endorse “Undetectable=Untransmittable” (U=U). This anti-stigma campaign is based on robust scientific evidence that people who have adhered to treatment and achieved an undetectable viral load cannot pass the virus on.

2018

An estimated 1.2 million people in the United States have HIV.

Heterosexuals account for 24% of the 37,698 new HIV diagnoses.

In 2018 there were 15,820 deaths among adults and adolescents with diagnosed HIV in the U.S. These deaths may be due to any cause.

2019-2020

Sunburst Projects was designated as a site to enroll individuals for ADAP (AIDS Drug Assistance Program).

At the 2019 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), researchers announce the second cure of a person with HIV. Like the case of the 2007 case of the “Berlin Patient” (the first person to be cured of HIV), the “London Patient” has no detectable HIV infection three years after he received a bone marrow transplant from a donor who is genetically immune to HIV, despite having been off of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) for 18 months. Both patients received bone marrow transplants to treat cancer. While the treatment is too dangerous and costly for widespread use, researchers hail the news as further proof that HIV can be cured.

Researchers continue working toward a preventive HIV vaccine. While the FDA has yet to approve any vaccines, clinical trials are ongoing.

Due to COVID-19, Camp Sunburst was cancelled and was replaced by “Camp In A Box,” delivered to campers that was comprised of games, goodies, art projects, toys and a handmade fleece blanket, and also included a week of virtual camp programming that campers could enjoy from the safety of their homes.